Wagon drill



Jan, 21, 1958 e. H. FUEHRER ,8

WAGON DRILL Filed 'Jan. 11, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 650296 M Fat H959,

INVENTOR.

Jan. 21, 1958 e. H. FuEHRER WAGON DRILL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11, 1954 650965 M FOE/96959,.

4 INVENTOR. BY

. pr aeA/a United States Patent ()7 WAGON DRILL George H. Fuehrer, Downey, Califi, assignor to Thor Power Tool Company, Aurora, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application January 11, 1954, Serial No. 403,339 3 Claims. (Cl. 255-51) paratus conventionally extends parallel to the mast and,

when guided by a centralizer, is operable to form a relatively deep bore hole in the object being drilled.

It is highly desirable that the drilling apparatus be. usable for both vertical and horizontal drilling, and

also that it is adaptable for drilling at various angles and elevations. To this end the portion of the wagon or frame on which the mast is mounted should be capable of being raised or lowered to various elevationsabove the ground, and without lifting or lowering the wagon as a unit. Apparatus heretofore constructed for accomplishing such raising and lowering has embodied relatively complex screw means, fluid piston arrangements, and numerous other systems all of which have.

the disadvantages that they are complicated, relatively expensive, diflicult to operate and subject to breakdown. In view of the above factors characteristic of the field of wagon drills embodying means for raising or lowering the mast mounting, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wagon drill raising and lowering means which is extremely rugged and simple to operate, yet is operable to either raise or lower the drill to any desired elevation and maintain it at such elevation until a sub-1 sequent height adjustment is effected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of ratchet elements independently operative to raise or lower the drill-supporting portion of a wagon drill rig, and locking means to hold the drill support at its elevated position despite the effects of extreme vibration such as occurs during drilling.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a wagon drill apparatus which may be adapted for drilling either horizontally or vertically, and at an infinite num-' ber of elevations and drilling angles.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear upon reading the following specification and claims, and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the lower portions of a wagon drill apparatus embodying the invention, showing the mast mounting member in its extreme upper position in solid lines, and in its extreme lower position in dashed lines;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the solid line showi g of Figure 1;

2,820,612 Patented Jan. 21, 1958 ice Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse section on line 5-5 of Figure 4; v

. Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the pawl holding member and of the pawl which efiects lowering of the drill rig, as-viewed from the bottom in Figure 5 and with the ratchet rings and the end disc broken away to their midpoints; and

Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 6 but showing the other side of the pawl holding member and the pawl which efiects raising of the drill rig, as viewed from the top in Figure 5 and with the ratchet rings and end disc again broken away to their midpoints.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the wagon drill apparatus may be seen to comprise generally a front frame 10 and a tail frame 11 which are pivotallyassociated with each other at a pivot axis 12, and means 13 for pivoting the front and tail frames relative to eachother to thus raise and lower pivot axis 12 between the solid and dashed line positions shown in Figure 1. During such raising and lower-v ing, the mast portion 14 for the rig, and which is associated with the frames 10 and 11 at pivot axis 12, is shifted in a manner effecting a change in the height of drilling angle of the drill steel 15 of the apparatus.

The front frame 10, which is preferably formed of tubular components, comprises a horizontal cross member 17 the axis of which is coincident with the pivot axis 12, a pair of downwardly and laterally extending side struts 18 and 19, and a pair of front wheels 21 which are journaled on horizontal axially aligned stub shafts 22 at the lower strut ends. The upper ends of struts 18 and 19 are welded to the opposite end portions of cross member 17 and at points spaced inwardly from its ends, there being triangular brace plates 23 provided to form a rigid joint. Front wheels 21 are freely pivotable on stub shafts 22 except when locked against rotation by hand-operated brake members 24 of any suitable type.

Tail frame 11 comprises a pair of corresponding angularly related tubular members 26 and 27 which come wheels 21 but is of a similar rubber-tired construction,

and means 30 to pivotally relate the tail wheel 29 with frame members 26 and 27. At their forward ends, remote from tail wheel 29, frame members 26 and 27 are pivotally associated with the extreme ends of horizontal cross member 17, but are adapted to be locked against pivoting relative to member 17, and thus front frame 10, by means next to be described.

Referring to Figure 3, the forward end of frame member 27 is shown as welded to a ring member 32 which in turn is rotatably mounted on the end of cross member 17, the inner and outer sides of the ring member being formed with frusto-conical surfaces 33 and 34, respectively. Inner frusto-conical surface 33 is adapted to seat against a corresponding surface 36 on a brake ring 37 welded around cross member 17. vSimilarly, outer frusto-conical surface 34 is adapted to seat against a corresponding surface 38 on an end cap 39 which is seated over the outer cross member end. End cap 39 is, in

It is to b'e'understood that the structure at the other end that only one pawl need beprovided for each ratchet ring,

of horizontal cross" member -17 *is-the-samegexeept tha do the corresponding surfaces 33 and 36. F The end caps' 39are" keyed to cross' 'mem'ber 17- by-'keysrno't shown,- so

that a rigid braking action is created between surfaces 3 F and "381*: and -surfaces 33 and 36; which effectively prevents pivoting of front frame 10 relative to'taili frame 11 I The" frame ompo'ne'nts- 101*and {being thus =:1ocked" against pivoting "relative to each '-other',-vibra-tion orother factors will ,not be operative to eifectfrai'singor lowering and that= therelativearrangements--between the-pawlsand ratchet rings are such that the assemblies 52 and 53 operate in opposite directions. Thus, the mounting of pawl 71 relative to ratchet ring 68 is such that clockwise rotation of the ratchet'ring, as viewed in Figure 5, willeffect clockwise rotation of shaft-rslgiwhile counterclockwise rotation of ring 68 will ,effectmerely its free-wheeling or of pivot axis '12. Instead; ;the only method' bf pivoting h the frame componentsglfl and 11 relative to-e'ach other;

in order to' change; the pivot-1 axis heightg -'is'-to' loosen the nut 41 and operate the means 13"to' be described subs'e quently. V v

' Referring again toFigures =1 and: 2 the mast 14' is*seen to comprise an I-se'c'tionedbeam "only the lower portionof whichis illustrated; beam -is' associatied withthez cross member 17 *by means of; an adjustable saddle 46 which; in turn, ismounted' on a sliding clamp 470f any suitable -type:

By loosening-bolts 48 on saddle'f4t'r, the-- mast 14 may be shifted transversely-of 'v cross; member 17c to" any desired axial position.- Similarly, by looseningtheclamp 47',"th'e mast 14 and saddle 46=may be either piv oted about-cross member '17" or shifted lbngitudinally of iti In this manner, the mast 14 may be pivoted toany =a'ngl'e' and adjusted to a number-oflocations-:-- 'I-hisg-when com' sid'ered in conjunctionwith th'e means 13' for raising and lowering'cross member '17 through pivoting-of: front frame 10 relative to tail frame'll, means that mast 14'may be shifted tosubstantially-any--position.--' It is to be under--= stood that-the-mast 14 is associated with -asuitable drifter motor and rock drilling apparatus, notshewmx The-rock drilli'ngappara'tusis, in turn; associated withthe drill steel 15' which extends longitudinally- I of mast 14- and is guided by a eentralizer indicated at 49;"-

Proceeding next-to a description of the means -l 3 forpivoti'ng front frame 10"relative to utail framell and thus raising" or 'loweringpivot axis- 12- andmast 14, thesemeans comprise athreaded shaft 51 pivotally associated with front frame 10 and tail frame 11, and a pair of pawl and ratchet assemb1ies1 52 and 53 adapted to rotateshaft 51. To pivotally' connect shaft-51 with-front frame- 10,-'-a' furcatedat the otherend tofit *around the threaded forwardportion of t'he'shaftz Mounted betweenthe mamations at-the end% 'of bracket 54=is an internally threaded cylindrical member 55? (Figure -3 having trunnions =56 (Figure-'1 which rotate correspondingtrnnnion aper- 'tures in thebracket-r Withsuch =aconstruction-,the} shaft 51 whieht is threadedly associated with -cylindrical mem Bea-5's; may-pivot relative to strut=19 and} between thesolid and dashed linepositions indicated in Figure 1 To pivotally associates-shaft 51 withit'ailfram'e --11,3'a bearing-'sleevess 'i's formed-integral with andtransverse to the end of-a stubzshaft '59,' the*latter being journaled in a bearing 61 which-is 'weld'ed to the underside of tail flamecomponentaM-k Sleeve' 58fits around an unthreaded upper or rearportion of shafts and as illustrated best in Fi'gure 4. Longitudinal shifting of shaft 51 relative=to bearing sleeve 58 is prevented bya lower; bearing; ring- 62, held in positionbya pin 64 extendedtherethrough and throughshaffi 51; ands-by a'thrust-ball'bearing63; The ball bearing 63 is seatedbet-ween' the upperend surface ofi bearing sleeve-58 andia flajnge 65 'on the enlarged cy'-' linttnicalzendiportion. ofitheshafts Acconding, togtheinventiomthepalwl andratchetassenr-t iss szt 'tizi fi P1 $PGfi YQ I I l1 a chet;- essefisttandsflt 'andtfi peratingz nawls a 11+ and: 72 mounted on shaft end portion 66. It,isi emphasized:-

shifting relative to the 'pawl. O'n' the other hand, clockwisei'rotation --of-; ratchet 1'ingt,69-,-;will effect-freewheeling:

orzshifting; thexarrangernent tofithe pawltZzvbeingsuch that it locks with ratchet ring 69 only when thelattenis enroved counterclockwise. v

In the more specific" constructionofthe pawlandratchet elements, the lower-assembly; 53:;comprises the ratchet ring 69 which is formed with an annular recess at its lower edge to seat over flange 65, the unrecessed upper portion,of theratchet ring being providedwith teethw73 which extenddnwar'dl-y totadjacent th'e 'cylindricaP'shaft s end 661" To accommodatethe' pawl 72 of'lower assembly 53,ta cut or recess'7'4is form'ed'forthe' fullle'ngth of shaft e'nd'66 and for part. of" its flange 65, as best-shownin'Fig tires 5 and, -6, the cut-having one-wallformed *on. a radius of "cylinder; 66 andktheFother' 'wall formed on a chord thereof, 3 At the" junction of the radial and chordal'wa'lls is; formed ""a' longitudinal bore ,76"which'" communicates:

with cut-'. 74- and, is, adapted to receive the cylindrical pawl V body' 77f' The" pawlbod'y7 7 is integral with aflatlugfpor tion 78 whiclf extends-"outwardly into engagementwitlv; ratclir-teeth-JS: Bias"- means 79 are provided to urge lug '1s 'intd engagement with the ratchet teeth; and pref-'- erabIY-comprise a spring-pressed cup 80 seated intransa verse aperture irr-cylinder 66 as "illustrated" in connection witli upper-assembly flin Figure 5."

The upper pawl and ratchet assembly "ST comprises", ratchet ring 68 the upper-and= inner portion of which is provided" with an annular recess-tog receive an end disc*82;'

the la-t tenhe'ing mounted around a threaded reduced end 7 portion--83 formed axially oncylinder66; The remain in'g orlower portio n of the inner ratchet ring ,walljist' formed with teeth= 84 which" are engaged" by a lug portion 85"of pawl 711' Lug-portion*85 is integralwith: a cyline d'rieal pawl body-86 which isinserted inalong'itudinal" hore SSin;cylindrical shaft portion 66i the caseof bore 76 foi' pawl 72; the bore 88 communicates witlr a cut: orarecess L89; ShOWn"'il1' -Fi'gures 5 and 7, also having chordal and radial sidewalls. Recess 893s; however, of

substantially lesser depth' tham recess 74 Bias' means 90;

comprisingithe spring-pressed plunger as in the: case.

olf bia's'i means -79 for pawl 72; are-provided as= shown-in Figure;- 52 w n'rge pawl li1ginto= engagement'cwith teeth 84.

' It; is: tombs; noted upon reference to" Figure 5 i thatthe pawlsifl and-72$ and? associated bias means and 79 are; spacedtfromxand symmetricaltoa plane which-contains thezlaxis viof Eshaft; 51 'a'nd its enl-arged -end portion 66:

T hus botln-tlugsz 85 andzs78 'extend in generally' the same, direction from the cylindn'caltpawl bodies 86-and 77, and

actcagain t oppositezsides'.ofi-theratchetteeth' 84 and: :73. It,fo llows.-that,,paw1; {II lockszwith ratchet; ring, 68 @whem the, latterr. :,operated; ;in one. d rection; awhilertpawhfll locks with ratchet ring .69 when 1- it,-is.- operateddn; the-:.

opposite direction, In either-instance, .;ratchet --ring; rotationis effectedbyplacing the end, of a wrench, notishowng;

s afterwhich a "spacer pin" is inserted in the 'kboreifib? above the cylindrical pawl body 772" Similarly;--the%pa*wl% 71ris inserted imbQreSS andare'c'ess 89-, aIthouglnno-spaeer pin is necessary due to the elevated positiomofithepawlri The end disc 82 is then mounted over threaded end portion 83, and a nut 96 is threaded thereover to hold the assemblies in position. It is to be noted that the end disc 82 seats against pawl 71 and against the spacer pin 95, so that both pawls are maintained in the desired longitudinal positions.. To insure against disassembly of the structure due to the extreme vibration caused by operation of the drill, a cotter pin 97 is inserted through nut 96 and shaft end 83, and a key pin 99 (Figures and 6) is mounted in corresponding bores in end disc 82 and cylinder 66, the mounting of the key pin being effected prior to positioning of the end disc and nut.

In the operation of the wagon drill apparatus, the brakes 24 on front wheels 21 are loosened, and the entire apparatus is pulled or pushed to the desired location, for example by means of a draw bar 100 shown in Figure 1 as connected to tail wheel assembly 28. Thereafter, the brakes 24 are turned to lock the front wheels 21, and the saddle 46 and clamp 47 are adjusted until the mast 14 and associated drill steel 15 are in the desired positions. Simultaneously with the adjustment of mast 14, or either before or after the adjustment if desired, the nut 41 (Figure 3) is turned to permit end caps 39 to shift away from ring member 32, so that the cooperating frustoconical surfaces 34 and 38, and 33 and 36, come out of locking engagement and permit pivoting of front frame 10 relative to tail frame 11. One or the other of the ratchet assemblies 52 or 53 is then operated to efiect either raising or lowering of pivot axis 12, and thus mast 14, as may be required.

For example, if the rig is initially in the pivoted position illustrated in solid lines in Figure l, and it is desired to lower the rig to the dashed line position, a wrench end is placed in the bore 93 of ratchet ring 69 of lower ratchet assembly 53, and the wrench is pumped back and forth in the manner of a ratchet wrench. During each counterclockwise stroke of the ratchet ring 69, as viewed from the upper end of the raising and lowering means 13, the shaft 51 will turn counterclockwise with the ratchet ring. This will effect, due to the construction of the threads on shaft 51, a raising of shaft 51 in cylindrical threaded member 55 (Figure 3) to increase the angle between the front and tail frames. During each clockwise stroke of the ratchet ring 69, the lug portion 78 of pawl 72 merely compresses bias means 79 to permit free-wheeling or shifting of the ratchet ring relative to the shaft, so that no shaft rotation results. As this operation is continued, the angle between front frame 10 and tail frame 11 increases until they are past dead center as illustrated in dashed lines in Figure 1, the mast 14 and drill steel 15 having then been shifted to a generally horizontal position as illustrated. This horizontal mast position is much lower than the mast position which would result if clamp 47 were loosened, and the mast pivoted about cross bar 17, when the latter is in its upper or solid line position.

The operation may be reversed by merely removing the wrench from bore 93 of lower ratchet ring 69, and inserting it in the corresponding bore of upper ratchet ring 68. Since, as previously stated, the upper ratchet assembly acts oppositely to the lower, a pumping of the upper ratchet ring will effect rotation of shaft 51 in the opposite direction to decrease the angle between front frame 10 and tail frame 11, and until these elements are in the initial or solid line positions shown in Figure 1. After the desired position is reached, the lock nut 41 is turned to prevent further rotation of the frame elements relative to each other, to thus hold the drill in the desired elevation regardless of extreme vibrational stresses.

It is pointed out that the bracket 54 is of a length sufiicient to space the lower pivot point for shaft 51 a substantial distance rearwardly from the plane of front frame 10. This, together with the fact that the upper pivot point for shaft 51 is spaced adjacent the plane of tail frame 11 and a substantial distance from pivot axis 12, means that a large amount of pivoting may be efiected with a relatively short shaft. Also, and very importantly, the frames may be pivoted past their aligned or dead center positions, and as shown in dashed lines in Figure 1.

While the particular apparatus herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wagon drill apparatus, comprising a front frame having a horizontal cross bar and a pair of wheeled struts, a tail frame comprising a pair of angularly related components connected at their apex to a tail wheel, means to pivotally connect the ends of said tail frame components remote from said tail wheel to opposite end portions of said cross bar, a mast adjustably mounted on said cross bar and adapted to support a pneumatic rock drill, an internally threaded member pivotally mounted on one of said struts, a bearing pivotally mounted on the corresponding one of said tail frame components, a shaft journaled in said bearing and threaded through said internally threaded member, means to prevent longitudinal movement of said shaft relative to said bearing, a first pawl mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of said bearing from said internally threaded member, a first internally toothed ratchet ring mounted on said shaft outwardly of said first pawl, said first pawl and first ratchet ring being so constructed and arranged that turning of said first ratchet ring in a first direction will cause said first pawl and first ratchet ring to lock with each other and effect turning of said shaft in said first direction, and turning of said first ratchet ring in a second and reverse direction will cause said first pawl and first ratchet ring to shift relative to each other, a second pawl mounted on said shaft adjacent said first pawl, and a second internally toothed ratchet ring mounted on said shaft outwardly of said second pawl, said second pawl and second ratchet ring being so constructed and arranged that turning of said second ratchet ring in said second direction will cause said second pawl and second ratchet ring to lock with each other and effect turning of said shaft in said second direction, and turning of said second ratchet ring in said first direction will cause said second pawl and second ratchet ring to shift relative to each other.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said means to connect said tail frame components and cross bar comprises a pair of mounting rings mounted around said cross bar and each having frusto-conical end surfaces, and in which a brake ring is welded on said cross bar inwardly adjacent each mounting ring and is formed with a frusto-conical surface corresponding to the adjacent mounting ring surface, an end cap is mounted over said cross bar outwardly adjacent each mounting ring and is formed with a frusto-conical surface corresponding to the adjacent mounting ring surface, and a shaft is mounted axially in said cross bar and adapted upon tightening of a nut thereon to draw said frusto-conical surfaces together and lock said front frame against pivoting relative to said tail frame.

3. Apparatus for effecting relative pivotal movement between two pivotally connected frames of a wagon drill rig, which comprises a threaded member pivotally mounted on one of said frames, a bearing sleeve pivotally mounted on the other of said frames, a shaft threadedly associated with said threaded member and journaled in said bearing sleeve, means to prevent axial shifting of said shaft relative to said bearing sleeve, a first pawl mounted on said shaft, first internally toothed ratchet ring mounted on said shaft outwardly of said first pawl, said first pawl and first ratchet ring being so constructed and arranged that turning of said first ratchet ring in a first direction 

